Ok, there may be a very good reason why you have not considered this, but incase it hasn't occurred to you, here goes.
The wall that is complete on the adjacent wall to the lounge that reads 3 mtrs, has enclosed walls each end. Without knowing your appliance selection/ preference, keep an open mind and consider what will allow for maximum bench space, swell as storage solutions and light.
I would place the fridge in the corner next to the lounge opening, (open this wall up with a minimum wall remaining of 900mm depth), directly after this I would then place a 450mm pull out pantry followed by a 600gas cooktop, this makes up around 1350mm allowing a 900mm fridge space. It means a 750mm wide underbench oven could be accommodated before the corner cabinet. I myself would install a 150mm pull out spice and oil rack then a ubo cabinet, because if your cooktop is gas it needs to be a clear 200mm from the burner to the side panel of the pull out pantry. In this case, it would be. Electric is less. Then finish the corner out with a corner unit.
On the return sink wall, a double sink cabinet, followed by another corner unit.
The wall currently housing the cooktop is too small to place an oven unit swell as a return breakfast Ben h, because there is just not enough space between the rear units and the bench. So, finish this wall of with a wide crockery bank of drawers, say 750, with the top drawer being divided into both cutlery and utensils. Below store your crockery and plastics etc below. These crockery banks as I have come to refer to them as, pretty much store your entire serving requirements in one area.
Run overheads along the entire wall, and I would perhaps leave the return to have a corner cabinet after drawee, then an open space below your benchtop, using a waterfall benchtop to the floor. It will emphaises the lint, and retain the visual line of sight. Stools can literally get tucked right under them, keeping access to the laundry easy and practical.

Just realized roughly guessing the ldry door wall is prob only say 1650mm, so a 750 drawer unit is put. BUT
you could place a blind cabinet in the corner with the door opening from the sink side, meaning drawers could abut a 100mm corner post so they open fine, and then continue with door cabinets, even UNDER THE BREAKFAST BENCH.
It may mean these cabinets are used less, but they can store large items or appliances that don't get used daily, and with a breakfast bench that
Literally runs over the top of it and down to the floor, it will be a design statement too. You could infact have this bench only in a feature material like a textured woodgrain laminate or veneer, whilst the prep benches are z laminate or stone. This layering can become your feature. Picture your breakfast bench jutting out adjacent to cabinets running along that wall, so only the bench changes direction. If your joiner is clever, he could even place this waterfall bench on castors, reinforce with aluminum brackets to the underside, and have it swivel onto the bench when not in use. It would be the thickness higher than a bench, but 40mm won't effect it's use. That way the kitchen could be either open as a u shape for entertaining etc, or with a bench each morn and night when needed.

Hi mldesign, I really appreciate your thoughts on it so thanks for that.

I really like the idea of the waterfall bench top on the breakfast bar. As well as the pull out spice rack.

I absolutely agree with the lack of cabinets under the breakfast bar for light and line of sight reasons...however I was wondering if you have pictures of the swivelling bench idea you mentioned in your second post, I'm intrigued!

I have a few questions...

Where would the dishwasher go?

Is the pull out pantry a tall one? I assume not as that would mean that there's only bench too space to the right of the oven.

Again thanks for your thoughts on this.

Mike and Emma

No problem guys.
1. The swiveling bench I can draw up soon as I get a chance (toddler in toe), although no stock images of it. I have designed this for a showroom in the past and it was relatively simple. No extra agent or complicated hardware necessary.
2. I would install a full height pull out pantry. It does allow you bench spae either side of a hotplate, 150mm on the left, centered to a 600mm under bench oven, then around 900mm on the right (600mm) of that is the corner bench above cabinet.
This is not ideal, however is still useable area, and if the swivel bench comes into play, that can be utilized for prep area mostly.
3. The dishwasher is tricky in a small kitchen, BUT possible. Given your rear wall of 2850, one corner cabinet would be a blind cabinet (1200mm) 600 pf that is corner, the other 600is a door, then the opposite end is a full corner, say 900 x800mm the 100mm you save off the 800mm side would be your hinged side, and it would mean you have around 850mm for a sink cabinet. So either install a single drawer dw and a standard drawer above that, it would need to be custom fit out to accommodate a ink waste and bowl fit out, it would also mean your waste pipe would need to be discharged through your external wall. If too tricky, it must mean you have to compromise on a corner.
The one to the right is a blind cabinet, so it may mean oozing access to the corner altogether, that way your remaining wall with crockery drawers remain unaffected, and the sink wall now has a full double sink cabinet and allowance for a 605mm dw. I'd go the double drawer unit for efficiency and water save, you can split breaky and dinner washes and always have them ready for you.
Hope it's clear. You seemed to get the gist of my last post. I'll try to draw up that soon.

If it is possible (I don't know if there are flats above you) is take out the wall between kitchen and laundry. Extend the kitchen to 4.05m. Sink stays, then dishdrawers, and cook top between windows. Turn 45 degrees with bench top and put laundry in the current cupboard in laundry (if plumbing isn't too costly...it will almost back onto the shower). Fridge? That could go where laundry tub is marked on plan (so plumbing there if you have one of those fridges that do it all with cold water). That would mean a pantry cupboard between fridge and where the laundry is. Leave all the other walls intact. It should allow for a table in the kitchen area (personally...I think the days of mega open plan have got to be numbered....a degree of separation will be nice one day. I have a feeling where you have marked "store" might be important...but if it isn't? Get rid of it. Would any of this work?

Hi mldesign, I would interested to see how your thoughts come together visually as I find it difficult to see how the fridge, pantry and each side of the hot plates come together in terms of the sum of their visual impact....in other words, the feeling of space, balance and proportion.

Unfortunately the dishwasher proposal where the plumbing is outside the building won't work due to being in an strata apartment block. I think your alternative proposal means that the cabinets along the laundry wall would be lost...which I think is a interesting idea that I haven't explored.

Thanks for your thoughts Suzineedsahouse. Your ideas around knocking out the kitchen laundry wall have been considered. The main issue I saw with that idea was the windows. The laundry window is significantly smaller (900mm x 500mm) and I believe not exactly level with the main kitchen window so I think that lack of symmetry would be strange and be distracting. Suzi and mldesign what are your thoughts on that?

Cheers guys, appreciate the thoughts.
Mike and Emma

Just checking in, the dw being put in standard, won't mean you lose the cabinets on the laundry wall, just means you lose access to a corner, making it void. But that may be less important than you wanting a dw.. Your call.
As for visualizing the layout, I think any scenario would be a best fit solution, ad the needs to make it a practical and modern functional space are contrary to the outdated proportions available to you. Having your 3d will help make sense of possibilities and further cmement them or rule things out. It comes down to whether any better ideas come forward that work, and whether or not you can afford to implement them all.
I like the idea of extending into a laundry, as the allocation of space to a ldry was more generous in past itmes than today, and certainly we would not sacrifice a kitchen for a ldry. However, I would only do this if it were absolutely essential. The cost to remove structural walls, if you are solid brick will require engineering, and permission through your body Corp. It will effect tour insurances and adjoining properties, time and cost may outweigh the benefits of a meter or so.
However, having considered these points, I have thought it another possibility to divide the laundry down the middle, making a new entrance where the store cabinet is, and another cavity sliding door into the first part of your laundry which would become a walkin pantry!
This would eliminate the need for a pull out pantry in kitchen making more bench space along that back wall, infact the fridge could go in there too, so if you wanted, a long generous bench with stylish overheads could become your new focus. Uncluttered clean length of benchspae. It would make a new l shape kitchen, and the sink wall cupboard would simply abut into the wall. The walk in pantry could house your small appliances and mess! The kitchen could have a mobile island, like that of a butcher block or a simple but stylish table, like a trestle table with a slim top on it.

I am just now in the process of re-habbing my kitchen. It was "G-shape" and had 70's cabinets wood stained. I don't like brown and didn't like the layout so had all the wooden cabinets removed which left me with a sink or counters.

Now I am about the install the new cabinets on the west wall which is about 12 across and has a window in the middle. I have chosen to put my 30" stove on the left wall and a small 4-drawer cabinet to the right of the stove. Then there will be a 36-inch cabinet for the sink and disposal. Next will be the dishwasher and beside that going to the right wall will be a 2-door cabinet with top drawer.

Above the stove will be a smallish cabinet which will hold the vent hood that will exhaust through the roof. On the right side will be a 2-door cabinet with an 18-inch space between the bottom and the countertop.

I don't want much to keep clean and the kitchen per se runs right into the next open area of the house. I wanted to give the impression of width and think by removing all the side cabinets and keeping the west (outside) wall for cabinets I'll achieve my goal. My refig is on the right wall a few feet from the west and can go no further since the door to the garage is there.

I hope this is helpful. Shirley

Mike and Emma. If you can't access a corner because of the object beside it, you may be able switch it round and access from outside the kitchen. For example in the drawing with the fridge next to the corner, that corner could be your grog cupboard on the other side. There are also shelving units designed for corner cupboards that swing right out so that everything on them is accessible.

Ever thought about moving the laundry door and having a U shaped kitchen with a centre bench, on wheels? This is what we did with our kitchen, I absolutely love it!

Hi Joan, that's an interesting idea. We're still considering have cabinets underneath the breakfast bar because the extra storage would be great however we feel the extra light we would get into the lounge without cabinets would have a bigger effect on the flat.

Hi cateringmum, yeah we have thought about having a new laundry entrance...the problem with that is we wouldn't gain that much extra storage for all the extra cost and I feel that it would make the kitchen seem smaller if the laundry wall had cabinets.

Cheers

Hi shirley, do you have any pictures?

One idea that doesn't seem very common but food for thought if you can spare cupboard space, especially if you extend into laundry room, is to install under bench (commercial) bar fridge/freezer. A friend of has a bank of these in her island bench, and it gives a great streamlined look. They have large storage too. You can pick these up at auctions when restaurant/cafes close down for very reasonable prices. Only thing I am unsure of is running costs. A bit out there I know...but just an idea.

BE BRAVE? Consider removing walls from Kitchen to lounge room AND into laundry. May have to get them supported. Then you have a lovely large area to design which will create a huge amount of VISUAL space as well. Space is not only cupboards .....its what you can see beyond and around. If you wanted to you might consider extending laundry kitchen wall and kitchen wall out into the lounge after other walls go...not expensive to do this. Then Catering mums ideas are lovely?

I think that's brilliant ,

When I said extend walls into lounge , I meant about a metre or whatever that width of the doorway above. That would also create a wall space for a bit of furniture or built in storage.

I'll try and get a mock up in the next few days of what the kitchen would like with the laundry wall knocked out...the only concern was the windows which are particularly asymmetrical (laundry window is less than half the size of the kitchen window).

It'll be good to get your thoughts on that when it get the images out.

Cheers
M

Hi Mike and Emma

Hope you are slowly but surely getting there... may I make some comments/suggestions that you may or not take on board, but hopefully it may at least give you some ideas/options...

Going through a new build ourselves at the moment, and for what it's worth, here's what I personally think:

A. Work with what you've got:

- additional plumbing work, gas work etc may not be necessary and (particularly gas) can be costly when you're trying to work around existing walls, floors, etc, and as much as possible utilise the existing connections... after whatever you can save here and there, you can spend on nicer cabinetery, gadgets, finishes, etc :)

B. Avoid unnecessry structural work:

- removing the kitchen/living wall is a must (more space, light, etc) but removing the laundry wall is an unncessary added cost (may even require costly additional strutural support)

- putting up a plastered wall on the other hand is inexpensive, allows you to redefine different zones and relocate doors/openings where required (*note: avoid hinged doors in small spaces as you have to allow for wasted space to open door - suggest cavity sliding doors, easy to incorporate in a new wall)

C. Don't sacrifice functionality and natural light for design

- love full height floor to ceiling cabinets, very much on trend... but they also tend to bring the walls in, which you want to avoid in an already small space... they will also block out more natural ligtht from the only window to the living and breakfast bench (meals area)... not to mention seated guests would be staring at a cabinet tower and fridge

- on the other hand a walk in pantry (not that much of a walk in a small space) is also very much on trend, provides more storage and... as entertaining guests in open plan livings tends to happen more in the kitchen... it provides a good hiding place for unsightly items, including frigges... (an underbench bar fridge in the kitchen can easily keep those beers cold... though do consider that means sacrificing some cabinet space)

- constantly wiping off the floors from dripping wet dishes across the kictchen from the sink to the dishwaser on the other side bench would personally drive me mad after a while... the dishwasher can easily be connected to the existing sink water and waste points through the cabinerty... any half decent plumber should be able to do that...

ON THAT NOTE... or should I say those notes... I know I got a bit carried away :) ... if it were me, here's an idea of what I would try to achieve ...

... and here are the links to:

- corner pull-out cabinet:


- corner drawer cabinet
http://www.blum.com/au/en/03/24/10/30/

- narrow spice pull-out cabinet
http://www.blum.com/au/en/03/24/40/40/

... I would look into at least one or both of the above two corner cabinet options if you can... as we had those two-panels fold in-out corner cabinet hinged doors in our current kitchen and I would strongly advise against them... yes I said "had" as they eventually gave... and so did our nerves :/

GOOD LUCK WITH IT ALL! :)

Hi Pasdev, really appreciate your effort with all the advice! I'm definitely keen to explore a lot of your specific ideas further.

I like the alternative pantry layout. Perhaps the use of a French door style fridge will mean the doors won't get in the way.

Thanks
Mike

Hi Mike, yes a double door or french door fridge would work best for the alternative pantry layout as they're only approx. 400-500mm (depending on the fridge) when opened, and you're not likely be have both doors opened every time... anyway, keep us posted on what you guys have come up with, good luck :) Pascale

I love Pazz's idea of grabbing space from the laundry for the pantry!

Hi. I like Pazz's suggestion to put the pantry in the closet area of the laundry room. Maybe a stackable W/D would guide you more space in the laundry. Also eliminating the little peninsula and running the counter to the wall between the lounge and kitchen makes sense. That looks like a wasted corner any way. Put the fridge somewhere across from the stove where the peninsula was supposed to be. This makes a nice work triangle. Maybe the little cupboard in the corner next to the laundry door could be a charging station for electronics or a mini desk/office space. Lots of great possibilities. Opening the doorway wider into the lounge would be nice but might be costly.

Have you moved forward on all these kitchen ideas, Michael? Would be great to see an update.